Fort Bliss
From Indian Fighting to New Guinea

Early Cavalry Patrol

Fort Bliss Post Headquarters and Parade Field circa 1919

The traditions of the 1st Cavalry go back to an era in United States history when the American frontier was being pushed westward.  As the early pioneers moved their families and their meager belongings into the vast unoccupied Great Plains Area, bands of marauding Indians saw an easy opportunity to acquire the material benefits of western civilization without going through the formality of legal acquisition.

The United States Governments answer to this challenge was to increase the military forces and send Army units to protect the settlers.  The 1st Cavalry Division itself did not come into being as a division until 1921, but the histories of its component units are studded with valorous deeds and brave fighting that began in the frontier days before the Civil War.  Many of its units saw action as part of the eleven month long punitive expedition into Mexico against Poncho Villa before returning to Fort Bliss in 1919.

On 12 September 1921, the 1st Cavalry Division was formally activated under the new National Defense Act as a regular Army division and on the 4th of July 1942 the Military Police Platoon (Special), Headquarters Troop, 1st Cavalry Division was officially activated and joined the 1st Cavalry Division.  This marriage would last a total of 63 years until the 545th MP Company was deactivated at Fort Hood Texas in October of 2005 and retired from the rolls of active duty military police organizations in the US Army.

1942 dawned with the division apparently fated to continue in the role of border patrol which it had performed during the First World War.  Maintenance of the fine edge of training as assured by participation in the fourth Louisiana maneuvers later that year, and with the desire for overseas service growing more intense, morale still remained high.

In February of 1943 the 1st Cavalry Division and subsequently the MP Platoon (Special) received their orders which alerted them for overseas service and the history of the MP Platoon (Special) which is to later become the 545th Military Police Company and who will soon be known as “First Teams Finest” begins in earnest.

Information obtained from “The First Cavalry Division in World War II” compiled by Major Wright, division historian and printed in Occupied Japan by the Toppan Printing Company, Ltd. 1947 

 

Horse Cavalry Mess Line at Ft Bliss

Mounted Parade at Ft Bliss

Officers Reviewing Horse Cavalry at Ft Bliss

The Real Cavalry in the field at Ft Bliss

They traded their horses for these

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